A Deus ex Harpa (Second Seal Mix)
by Lithos Maitreya
Summary: Part One of the DarkeSword's ReMixes Project, inspired by the ReMix 'A Deus ex Harpa (Second Seal Mix)'. Every year after Midna left, Link went to the Mirror Chamber on the anniversary of their parting. To remember. LinkxMidna, post-TP


**A/N: Hi all. This is an idea I came up with last night. I intend to write a oneshot to every single one of the remixes by DarkeSword on the OCReMix website. First, a little angsty Twilight Princess story to the song 'A Deus ex Harpa (Second Seal Mix)'. Here it is.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the original track, the ReMix, or Twilight Princess.**

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><p><strong>DarkeSword's ReMixes Project<strong>

_Piece One: A Deus ex Harpa (Second Seal Mix)_

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><p>Link stood in the Mirror Chamber in the Arbiter's Grounds, thinking; remembering. It was here, exactly five years ago, where Midna had left him.<p>

He understood her motivations. Zelda would have done the same to the one she loved, he was sure. Duty over pleasure. It was a code which he, too, followed. Otherwise, Hyrule would long ago have fallen to Ganondorf and his servants. But he was the Hero of Light. Time, Twilight, Winds, all were one in the end.

But that didn't change his current state. Were he anyone else, he would have fallen into darkness or death long ago from heartbreak. Midna was gone. As Hero, he survived, but it was a near thing.

He wore the Wolf Crystal around his neck now. It still retained its magical qualities – its ability to transform him into a wolf – but he never used it. Its only purpose to him was that of a reminder.

Zelda had asked him if he wouldn't rather take it off until the wounds of parting were less fresh. He'd refused. He couldn't forget anyway. Never. At least the Crystal reminded him of all the good times as well.

In his left hand he carried the Master Sword. Normally, he kept it in the Sacred Grove, but this time every year, he took out the green clothes which normally remained in his wardrobe, dusted off his Hylian Shield, withdrew the Wolf Crystal from his jacket so all could see it, took the Master Sword and came here.

To remember.

He remembered her, trapped in the form of an imp, with all the world weary humor and fiery passion of an adult woman.

He recalled that, even then, before her body had taken its adult form, he'd already begun to love her.

He remembered all those times when her indifferent, cynical mask had come down, when she'd been unable to hide the caring spirit beneath.

He recalled her standing alone against the King of Evil himself, sending Princess Zelda and himself away from the castle while she met his will with her own, though she knew she couldn't succeed.

He remembered himself, and the feeling of his heart shattering along with the Fused Shadow, and Ganon held it up and crushed it.

He recalled that last battle, how he hadn't fought as he normally did. He usually fought for Hyrule – for all the living, breathing creatures in both his world and that of Twilight – but in that battle he'd been different. In that battle, he was fighting, not for the living, but for the dead. That was a battle for vengeance. A battle for Midna.

And then he remembered his victory. He remembered, at last, defeating Ganon, and throwing him down.

And then, when Midna had returned, in the fully grown and attractive form of an adult Twili, about his own age, he recalled that he'd quite honestly struck dumb. _She was alive!_

And then, only a short time later, she'd left again. This time, though, she was alive, and that was good, but he knew that, as long as life was in her, she would never willingly return. He knew she didn't hate him – she might well have even loved him as he did her – but he understood her. Her people before her friend. Before him.

And though he wished it could be otherwise, he couldn't fault her for it. Had it been called of him, he would have done quite the same. Their happiness was not worth compromising the safety of two worlds and everyone in them.

Hero though he was, however, he was not above jealousy. Mere days after the Mirror was destroyed, he sought out the tomb of the ancient Hero of Time. There, just as he'd expected, he'd met the Hero's Shade once more. Like he'd expected, his mentor was the Link from a century ago.

The skeletal Hero had commiserated with him. He was quite different now. While Link had been saving the world, the Shade had treated him as inferior – a pupil who needed rapid training. Now, however, now that Link had done his task, the ancient Hero treated him as an equal. Link envied him, though.

The Hero of Time had loved the Zelda of that age, and his love had been returned. The two had lived together happily for all their lives. And the Shade had told him of the future Hero of Winds, expected to appear in approximately two centuries from the current Link's time, who would love the Zelda of his time, though she called herself Tetra.

Why him? Why must he be the one who must live a life in the shadow of heartbreak? A life haunted by dreams in the night and visions in the day – of Midna. Always of Midna.

The Hero of Time had told him not to give up hope – had told him that he might yet see Midna again – but truly… there wasn't hope, and both Links knew it. Midna was the Twilight Princess, and though the Hero of Time was quite certain that, like him, she'd never forget, she wouldn't willingly abandon her people. As his duty was to protect Hyrule, hers was to lead the Twilight. And neither of them would leave their post – they were chained too tightly to their morality.

All he could hope was that Midna, at least, was happy, wherever she was, for he knew he wasn't. Perhaps she'd found someone to love in her world, for he knew he hadn't. He had no hope for his own happiness, only for hers. If she was satisfied with her life, then so was he. But fate even denied him the right to know. Sometimes life barely seemed worth living.

No.

Life wasn't at all worth living now. Not without her.

But he would persevere. That was his job, after all, wasn't it? He was a Hero. He had to live, if not for himself, then for others.

For Midna.

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><p><strong>AN: There you go. LinkxMidna to all of you. Try listening to the song while reading. I was doing it while writing, and it sure helped.**

**Also, if you think this is the end of this timeline, think again. I still have to write the piece to 'Tattered Slippers,' and where do you think that'll go?**

**Anyway, please review!**


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